2014 Giro d'Italia stage 7

LOCAL HERO
Cycling was the sport in post-war Italy. Any number of artisan framebuilders plied their trade here, feeding the insatiable demand for racing bikes. In Foligno lived the Ugolinelli brothers Osvaldo and Guido, and they supplied bikes to Umbria’s best. Guido would construct the frames, whilst Osvaldo would paint them and craft them into the works of art he sold through his shop in Via Mazzini.

Osvaldo also ran a very useful amateur team, and nurtured the talent of Noe’ Conti. One of the best gregari in the business, he rode five giri between 1958 and 1962. He never won a Giro stage, but the fact that he rode for he likes of Coppi and Ercole Baldini is illustrative of his qualities. His little brother, Franco, also rode the corsa rosa seven times.

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